Shine until tommorow
by Captain Howdy
Summary: The actual one this time. Heavy Gear fic. Groonz is badley injured. How ill both teams react?


Disclaimer: HG and all associated characters do not belong to me.  
  
Shine until Tomorrow  
By Damien  
  
  
"And here they are…Vanguard verses Shadow Dragons in the duel of the cycle!" Maddox's voice boomed around the huge arena, and hundreds of people cheered. Major Wallis felt a rush of adrenaline. This time his plan would not fail. This time he would come out triumphant. This time Marcus Rover would not come out better off. Hopefully, thought Wallis, he would come out in an ambulance. The trap was set. Groonz had placed explosives under one of the heavy concrete walls. At an appointed time, just when Rover was under the wall, the explosives would be detonated and the wall would smash.  
It's perfect, thought Wallis. Nothing can go wrong.  
  
"And…go! The Vanguard have the upper hand, starting from the platform , but looking at their poor performances lately, I think the Shadow Dragons will soon change that," some of the crowd booed at this, but Wallis ignored them all.  
The object was simple: destroy the opposition through any means possible, while dodging through traps, jumping over walls and avoiding deep pits.   
"Alright, Vanguard, remember the plan. We've lost too many times now, and we have nothing to lose," Wallis said, and jumped off the platform.  
"I'll take Dirx," Rank hissed. "Him'n me got a score to settle."  
"I don't care who the punks are, but I'll beat them 'til they can't punk no more," Yoji grinned and followed Major Wallis off the platform.  
  
Wallis crept through the maze, looking for Rover.   
"Looking for me?"   
Wallis hid his smile at the boy's insolent tone. This was going to be too easy.  
"Catch me if you can!" Rover sped off, with Wallis in hot pursuit.  
  
Meanwhile, Rank was having trouble with Zerve.  
"Hey, anyone?" Rank screamed of the comlink, "A little help please?"   
"Yeah, I'm coming," Groonz muttered.   
"What's the matter Rank? Can't handle me on your own?" Dirx sneered.  
"Why you…" Rank screamed and rushed at Dirx.  
"Watch it?" yelled Groonz as Dirx opened fire. Rank dove behind a wall.  
Suddenly, Red Rover sped through to Dirx's side, followed closely by King of Sting.  
"It looks like a three against two match, people!" Maddox yelled. "Who is gonna come out better off?"  
"Say your prayers, Rover!" Wallis sneered. This was it. The big moment. In a couple of minutes, Rover would be down, and the duel was as good as won.  
  
  
In Red Rover, Marcus received a message from Sebastian.   
"Marcus, I suggest you get away from the area as quickly as you can. I have done a scan of the area and there appears to be…"  
The message was cut off by static.  
"Well, I'm not hanging around here," said Marcus to himself. Swallowing his pride, Marcus called out:  
"Catch me if you can, Wallis!"  
"Wow really brave, running away," Rank sneered. Then to Dirx, he said:  
"Are you going to run away too?"  
Dirx howled with rage and opened fire on him.  
"No….." Groonz shout was cut off by the rumbling of the heavy concrete wall collapsing. He ran forward and pushed Rank out the wall. A large explosion filled the arena, and then there was silence.  
  
  
Major Wallis stared at the blank white of the hospital walls. Nurses and doctors rushed around, but he ignored them.   
*********************FLASH*****************  
"And once again, Major Wallis is the Heavy Gear champion!"  
**********************FLASH****************  
Yoji's voice; scared and tearful.  
"Groonz? Can you hear me?"  
**********************FLASH****************  
Sirens wailing. Serge pulling a hysterical Yoji away from the shadow dragons.  
"Murderers! I hate you!"  
**********************FLASH****************  
Groonz's body on a stretcher, bloody and bruised. His helmet a few feet away from the crunch muncher; bloody and dented.  
**********************FLASH****************  
  
Major Wallis realizing that only he, Rank and Groonz knew about the explosives. Some miscellaneous doctor took him by the arm.  
"Sir, we're doing everything we can, he's in a coma, there's no use staying round here."  
Major Wallis left without a sound. He felt drained and tired. The hospital with its clean white walls and smell of disinfectant was getting to him.  
Outside the transport ship was waiting for him. When he got in, Colonel Rika was waiting for him.  
"Good job Major. You've earned your honor back. I see now what a good thing it was that I didn't let you go." She said; her lips graced in the usual humorless smile.  
"Groonz," Major Wallis said.  
"Ah yes. An unfortunate drawback."  
She speaks of him like it's his fault, thought Major Wallis. Like he's replaceable. But I know as an officer, loyalty like that is not often found.  
  
At the headquarters in Valeria, Major Wallis wandered round the corridors aimlessly.  
He walked into the room where the gears were kept. He heard snuffling from up above.  
He lifted his head to see Rank buried in his son's shoulder.  
"Shhhss, Daddy, it's not your fault." The little boy was saying.  
Major Wallis turned on his heel and left. He felt like crying, but years of army training, his father's cold disapproval and an unfeeling world robbed him of the ability to weep.  
  
Far away, Dirx sat slumped over a table with an open bottle of beer in his hand. The rest of the shadow dragons watch him carefully, too scared to say anything lest he explode, like a time bomb.  
"He really isn't taking it well," Sonja whispered to Sebastian.  
"I think we better leave him to handle this in his own way," Sebastian whispered back.  
Zerve yawned, and whispered;  
"I'm off to bed. Goodnight."  
He cast a glance over at his friend.   
"Nothing but negative waves, man."  
  
In the hospital, Groonz lay, unconscious, immobile. The doctors nodded and the nurses whispered;  
"There's nothing more we can do except wait."  
"If he lasts the next twenty four hours, he'll live," said the senior doctor said, and pulled off his rubber gloves.  
  
Major Wallis opened the photo album. Inside were pictures of him when he was a boy, with his younger sisters, another, a newly promoted corporal, one of his father and mother, both stern and unsmiling.  
Finally the one he had be looking for. It was one that had been taken shortly before Rover had joined the shadow dragons.  
All of the Vanguard was unsmiling. Yoji scowled at the camera like it had just insulted her, Serge looked bored, Major Wallis was looking at something to the left, Rank had his eyes shut. But Groonz was looking raptly at the camera, with a faint flicker of amusement in his eyes, the same expression he had when talking about his bombs or some new explosive device he'd dreamed up.  
With a flicker of white hot sorrow, Major Wallis realized that he didn't really know Groonz that well. But the man had sacrificed himself for Rank, had saved his honor, had been unquestionly loyal.  
Major Wallis stared at the photo, and a tear trickled down his cheek.  
t let you go." She said; her lips graced in the usual humorless smile. "Groonz," Major Wallis said. "Ah yes. An unfortunate drawback." She speaks of him like it's his fault, thought Major Wallis. Like he's replaceable. But I know as an officer, loyalty like that is not often found. At the headquarters in Valeria, Major Wallis wandered round the corridors aimlessly. He walked into the room where the gears were kept. He heard snuffling from up above. He lifted his head to see Rank buried in his son's shoulder. "Shhhss, Daddy, it's not your fault." The little boy was saying. Major Wallis turned on his heel and left. He felt like crying, but years of army training, his father's cold disapproval and an unfeeling world robbed him of the ability to weep. Far away, Dirx sat slumped over a table with an open bottle of beer in his hand. The rest of the shadow dragons watch him carefully, too scared to say anything lest he explode, like a time bomb. "He really isn't taking it well," Sonja whispered to Sebastian. "I think we better leave him to handle this in his own way," Sebastian whispered back. Zerve yawned, and whispered; "I'm off to bed. Goodnight." He cast a glance over at his friend. "Nothing but negative waves, man." In the hospital, Groonz lay, unconscious, immobile. The doctors nodded and the nurses whispered; "There's nothing more we can do except wait." "If he lasts the next twenty four hours, he'll live," said the senior doctor said, and pulled off his rubber gloves. Major Wallis opened the photo album. Inside were pictures of him when he was a boy, with his younger sisters, another, a newly promoted corporal, one of his father and mother, both stern and unsmiling. Finally the one he had be looking for. It was one that had been taken shortly before Rover had joined the shadow dragons. All of the Vanguard was unsmiling. Yoji scowled at the camera like it had just insulted her, Serge looked bored, Major Wallis was looking at something to the left, Rank had his eyes shut. But Groonz was looking raptly at the camera, with a faint flicker of amusement in his eyes, the same expression he had when talking about his bombs or some new explosive device he'd dreamed up. With a flicker of white hot sorrow, Major Wallis realized that he didn't really know Groonz that well. But the man had sacrificed himself for Rank, had saved his honor, had been unquestionly loyal. Major Wallis stared at the photo, and a tear trickled down his cheek. 


End file.
